Nicole + Ryan's Outdoor, Countryside Wedding

It’s two weeks out from wedding day, and I’m obsessively glued to the weather app on my iPhone. Personally, I’m one of those obnoxious people who loves rain. I’m the good book, cup of steaming coffee, and warm puppy, curled up by the window during a thunderstorm kind of girl. It’s cliche but storms feel so charged, like anything at all could happen. Unfortunately, outdoor weddings don’t share my meteorological zeal.

The last thing in the world I want is for sweet Nicole to have a deluge on her wedding day. (Muddy wedding dress just don’t have the same appeal.) Regardless of the weather, though, I know we can make any day sparkle when you put two crazy-in-love people together. And that’s just what happened. The Thursday before the wedding, Nicole and I texted about rainy day ideas on making photos work. Clear umbrellas, clear tarps, balcony shots . . . I brushed up on Pinterest creative ways of shooting outside during a downpour. By Friday evening, I was ready for anything and positive we were going to pull it off, no matter the storm.

Saturday morning came along with a light drizzle. It was overcast and there was this fine, slightly sparkling mist hanging in the air. I pulled up to Nicole and Ryan’s wedding venue—Nicole’s grandparent’s gorgeous country estate—and saw a host of men, trucks, and . . . you guessed it, wood chips being unloaded. They were flooring the slightly swampy ground with wood planks and wood chips to keep guests clean and dry. Yes, if you hadn’t guessed it yet, Nicole is amazing at staying positive and finding a solution in the face of daunting odds.

Her plan totally worked. And before long, even the mist began to recede, allowing us to take some lovely outdoor photos of the bridal party before the ceremony. We crammed everyone outside on a transparent tarp on the back patio and, with my weird old man voice in full force, snapped hundreds of shots with the sun just peeking out from behind the clouds.

The wedding ceremony went flawlessly followed by one of the single most fun receptions I’ve ever had the pleasure to take part in. Ryan and Nicole are truly two of the most fun and caring people you’ll ever meet. They are devoted to each other, their friends, and families. I’ve never seen either one of them without a huge smile. It was truly a blessing to be part of their magical day. And honestly, who needs sunshine with these two beaming with love?